Licensing
Photo copyright by Eurokick
Like Phoenix out of the Ashes
The reconstruction of the venecian opera „La Fenice“
Documentary film, 43.30 minutes, DigiBeta, 16:9, stereo
Year of production: 2004
Director: Reiner Penzholz
Cameraman: Oscar Nani
Production: EUROKICK Milan Italy
Produced for: ZDF/3SAT Germany
Versions: English, German, Italian
As it was and were it was – that´s was the motto of the Venetian people who wanted their famous opera
house La Fenice to be rebuild as soon as possible. In 1996 La Fenice had been completely destroyed by a
fire in just a few hours.
Is it possible to exactly rebuild an opera house? Do artists and craftsmen still have the knowledge to make
the wooden structure an the rich decorations as they have been made 200 years ago?
It is possible to recreate this mystic atmosphere and wounderful acoustic, which was known all over the
world?
And is it wise to use the same wood and paper-maché materials that have caused the devastating fire? Why
not build a modern project and a step foward towards future?
The documentary is shot inside the building site and workshops of the artists, artisans and craftsmen. We
talk with the architects, the art director, the acoustic specialist and the artisans and their enthusiasm about
the project. We follow their work up to the first concert in the new theatre in December 2003.
With the famous Italian writer Alessandro Baricco we found the right person to give a critical comment for
this project. His position is: Whats lost is lost. And what we see now is only a well done copy, a taste of Las
Vegas.
The documentary ends with a performance of La Traviata, conducted by Lorin Maazel at the end of 2004.
For licensing and more information please contact:
Björn Jensen
email: jensen(at)gingerfoot.deemail: jensen(at)gingerfoot.de
© 2004 by EuroKick, Reiner Penzholz
Photo copyright by Euro Kick Filmproduktion
